


Chat Noire

by SailorChibi



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Brief depiction of violence, Established Relationship, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, Kwami Swap, Protective Marinette Dupain-Cheng, marinette as chat noir, or marinette will rain hell down on you, post-reveal, to alya and the other classmates, you do not fuck with adrien agreste
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-08-06 04:24:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16381340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorChibi/pseuds/SailorChibi
Summary: With Tikki out of commission and Chat Noir down for the count, Marinette only has one choice to protect her partner.





	Chat Noire

Ladybug was supposed to be lucky.

That was the thought running through Marinette's mind as Alya grabbed her hand and, together, they fled the akuma's path of destruction. The school was slowly but surely being destroyed and they were trapped. The akuma, Claustro, had created a forcefield around the school. It wasn't like she could dodge her classmates and take off to transform into Ladybug. Without Tikki, she was just Marinette. Even the Lucky Charm sticking out of the akuma's belt wasn't going to help, because Marinette wasn't even sure it would function properly for her when she wasn't transformed. Needless to say, she certainly didn't _feel_ very lucky right now.

"Get down!" Alix shouted, waving to them.

Alya obeyed, dragging Marinette down with her. She heard a muffled thump and a screech of pain from Claustro and knew without looking that Chat Noir had scored a direct hit. A quick glance over her shoulder showed that she was right, but the hit seemed to have cost Chat Noir just as much. Her partner was visibly swaying on his feet, looking utterly exhausted. This was one of the toughest akuma's they'd ever faced. Claustro had been on the run for over three days, and Ladybug and Chat Noir had encountered him in five separate battles.

That last battle had been a doozy. Marinette had taken a full-on hit that, by all rights, should've killed her. Instead, Tikki had taken the majority of the damage. Claustro had _stolen_ her Lucky Charm and run off with it. Tikki had been badly injured enough that Marinette had no choice but to take her to Master Fu; she'd hoped that Claustro wouldn't show his face during the couple of hours she and Tikki were separated. Of course, that hadn't happened and now Chat Noir was taking on the akuma alone. 

"We have to get out of here," Alya said. She was trying to film the battle, but her hands were shaking. Perversely, Marinette was glad to see that her friend was finally taking a battle seriously.

"I know, but how?" Marinette fretted, biting at her thumbnail as they scuttled over to where Nino, Kim, Alix, Myléne, Ivan, Max, Juleka, Rose, Sabrina and Chloé were hiding behind the bleachers. They'd all been in the classroom when Claustro attacked. She'd expected her classmates to scatter while they ran, but apparently they'd perfected the fine art of sticking together - with the exception of Chloé, who was probably only here to sacrifice someone else as bait if needbe.

"We have to find Adrien first!" Nino said.

Adrien. Marinette cast her eyes back to the akuma and flinched when a blow to the face sent Chat Noir flying. Every instinct in her surged to the forefront, wanting nothing more than to charge over there and show that akuma who was boss. Only Alya's painfully tight grip, as well as the knowledge that she would be more of a hindrance than a help right now, kept her in place. 

"Maybe he got out?" Marinette said uncertainly. She knew some people had escaped before the forcefield closed around the school. Others were in hiding. They were all waiting for Ladybug and Chat Noir to save them. Chat Noir was trying, but...

Scattered gasps and screams rang out. Ringing out over them was Chat Noir's cry of pain. Marinette's hands flew up to cover her mouth as Chat Noir took yet another blow, this one sending him across the gymnasium and into the wall opposite. He slid slowly to the ground and didn't move. Even from this distance, she could see that his eyes were shut. Blood stained his blond hair. Her heart raced as Claustro stepped towards him. The vindictive gleam in the akuma's eyes said it all. He raised his mighty fist over his head and prepared to bring it down on Chat Noir.

Someone was screaming. Marinette didn't fully realize that it was her until she was halfway across the gym floor, ignoring Alya and Nino yelling her name behind her. She dove for Chat Noir and dragged him out of the way just in time. Claustro's fist slammed into the floor and destroyed it, making the floor beneath Marinette's knees rumble with the force of the shockwave. Had she not been kneeling, half-leaning protectively over her unconscious partner, she likely would've fallen. Chat Noir didn't move, which told her that he was completely unconscious. Her heart raced and she got up on her feet, crouching low over Chat Noir's body.

"Marinette! Run!" Alya was screaming.

Run? And leave her partner? Never.

"Give me your miraculous!" Claustro bellowed.

The miraculous. She looked down at the ring on Chat Noir's hand. The sudden thought that bloomed in her head was crazy, and yet...

"Marinette!" Nino yelled.

In one quick motion, Marinette jerked her blazer off. She laid it lovingly over Chat Noir's face in the hopes that she could conceal his identity. Then she slipped the ring off of his finger. His transformation came undone in a flash of green light; she caught Plagg easily, cradling the kwami in her right hand as she twisted to face the akuma. She thought - prayed - that Adrien was still breathing, but she didn't have time to stop and check. She slid the ring on her finger. It shrank until it fit her hand perfectly.

"Plagg, are you up for this?"

"I was born ready," Plagg said grimly, green eyes bright with anger.

"Plagg, claws out!" Marinette yelled, punching the air the way she'd seen Adrien do it. Plagg practically dove into the ring. A cold feeling washed over her, dark and seductive. So different from Tikki's light, which felt like being bathed in warm sunshine. 

She opened her eyes when it was over. The anger bubbling inside of her chest was hot and burning. The powers running through her urged to set it free. For once, Chat Noire wasn't going to fight it. She could feel a growl rumbling through her, culminating in a furious yowl the likes of which Chat Noir only made when he was going feral. The room went quiet. The outline of Hawkmoth's mask appeared over Claustro's face, but she wasn't going to give them the chance to collaborate against her. 

Chat Noire was wise to Claustro's tricks now. She knew how to avoid them. And the rage burning through her granted her a speed she was going to put to good use.

She grabbed the baton strapped to her back and pressed the glowing green button to extend it. With another screech, she leapt forward. Claustro’s head snapped up and he moved to grab her, but she was too fast. Acting on pure impulse, she ducked and hurtled herself forward. She swung the baton into the akuma’s knees with all of her strength, relishing Claustro’s shriek as he toppled over.

Without hesitation, she brought the baton down on Claustro’s head. Deaf to the akuma’s bellowing, she brought the baton down again and again.

“How dare you…” Chat Noire seethed through gritted teeth, the words more of a hiss than anything. “How _dare_ you, Hawkmoth!”

Claustro lay still and bloody. Chat Noire stopped her deadly strikes and made a grab for the coin-sized broach pinned inside of his vest. It had taken her and Chat Noir hours of thought, pouring over the video footage posted on the Ladyblog, before they'd finally figured out that was where the akuma had to be. She knew that was what Chat Noir had been trying to get at when Claustro took him down.

“I know you can hear me,” Chat Noire said, looking down at the akuma. Sure enough, the purple mask outline appeared over Claustro’s face. “If you _ever_ touch him again, Hawkmoth, then Chat Noir won’t have to wonder what Cataclysm can do to the human body.”

With those words, she snapped the broach and the akuma fluttered free.

She couldn't purify it.

She didn't want to.

"Cataclysm!" Chat Noire roared, lunging forward. Black power bubbled up around her fingers. The feeling was intense and took her breath away. She raked her claws across the dark purple butterfly and was pretty sure she heard it squeal in pain as it disintegrated.

Claustro glowed black, the akuma melting away to reveal a kid that she vaguely recognized who may or may not have gone to her school. He was unharmed, thankfully, and showed no signs of having undergone a savage beating. The Lucky Charm, a pair of red-and-black-spotted pliers, fell to the ground. Chat Noire seized them.

She didn't know if this would work when she wasn't Ladybug, but she had to try.

"Miraculous Ladybug!" she screamed, hurtling it into the air.

For a second, nothing happened. 

Then the pliers burst apart into the swarms of ladybugs. Chat Noire was weak with relief, turning to watch as the light touched on Adrien and healed his wounds. It fixed the damage that was done to the school and, presumably, beyond. What she hadn't counted on was that would Adrien would wake up, or that he would immediately bolt upright in a panic. Whether it was because of the akuma or because he was missing his ring, she wasn't sure. But his eyes landed on her and went wider than she'd thought possible, his jaw dropping.

"M-Marinette?" he stuttered.

She stared at him, panting. Now that the akuma was gone, she felt - she didn't know what she felt.

Adrien seemed to realize what was wrong. He scrambled to his feet, approaching her with his hands out. "M'lady, it's me," he said gently. "It's okay. You did a good job." He came close enough to catch her paw, pulling it up and kissing it. "Plagg, claws in."

Plagg tumbled out of the ring and with him went the last of Marinette's strength. She collapsed and he caught her easily, pulling her close. She wanted to touch him, to ask if he was okay, but the darkness took over.

\--

"Marinette. Marinette. Wake up!"

It felt like she was laying in a patch of sunlight after being cold. Marinette pried her eyes open. "T-Tikki?"

"You're awake," Tikki said, obviously relieved. "Oh, Marinette, are you okay?"

"Yeah,” Marinette said dazedly.

Tikki nodded, swooping in to hug Marinette's cheek. "I’m glad you’re okay.”

“I’m glad you’re okay too. Master Fu was able to heal you?” Marinette cupped her hands around her kwami, running her eyes over Tikki worriedly.

“I’m fine now.”

“Thank goodness,” Marinette sighed. “Wow… I’m really tired.”

“That would be the effort of using another miraculous. It will be a while before you're back on your feet."

"Another... oh my god." Marinette sat up. "Adrien!"

"I'm right here."

Marinette followed the familiar voice and found Adrien standing beside the window, patiently feeding Plagg chunks of cheese. He handed Plagg the last piece and wiped his hands, then walked over to the bed and sat down. He took Marinette's hands in his, looking at her so seriously that her breath hitched. It was obvious that he had something he wanted to say, something important.

"So tell me," Adrien said, "are you ready to be a bug again, or have you come over to the dark side?"

"I - what?" Marinette squeaked.

He grinned. "You did make an adorable kitty."

He was teasing her. Things couldn't be too bad. Marinette made a face. "I think there's only room for one kitten in this relationship," she pointed out.

"Hey!" Plagg said.

"Two kittens," Marinette amended. "Plagg, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Plagg said, letting out a huge burp. "It drains me to work with a baby bug instead of a kitten, but it's not the first time it's happened and it probably won't be the last." He flew closer, tail lazily waving. "Besides, you saved my kitten's life."

"I... I barely remember it," Marinette admitted. "It's kind of a blur. I just remember being cold. That dark feeling... it was so strong." She shivered. Adrien frowned in concern and slid closer, pulling her into his arms.

Plagg chuckled. "Yin and yang. You're too used to the light."

"Hey!" Tikki scolded. "That's a good thing. Chat Noir and Ladybug are a perfect balance."

"Does that mean I could transform with you?" Adrien asked Tikki, looking curious.

"Yes, but you would find it overwhelming just like Marinette did," Tikki said.

Marinette filed that thought away for another day and turned to Adrien. "Everyone saw, didn't they?"

He nodded. "Yeah. There are... a lot of questions." He rubbed at the back of his neck. "I asked them to hold off until you woke up, so we could decide together what to tell them. But they've already promised not to tell anyone."

"Even Chloé?" Marinette said.

Adrien smiled. "Even Chloé. And I believe her."

They didn't really have a choice. Marinette leaned into him, soaking up his warmth. He was like her own personal heater. "I don't like it, but I guess they wouldn't be willing to believe that I just magically knew how to use Chat Noir's power."

"Uh, no. I've spent the past twenty minutes listening to Alya curse us both through the door."

The door. Marinette looked around, suddenly realizing where they were. "Your bedroom?"

"My dad and Nathalie are out of town. Seemed like the best place," Adrien said.

"I don't suppose we could jump out the window to avoid them," she said, and he choked on a laugh.

"Firstly, you're too weak for that. Secondly, Alya would totally chase us."

He had a point. She sighed. "Time to face the music, I guess." It was scary, but they didn't have a choice. She looked up at Adrien. From the expression on her face, he knew exactly she was thinking. He leaned in and kissed her gently.

"It'll be feline, Bugaboo," he murmured. 

"Really? Now?" Marinette said, her mouth twitching in spite of herself. He grinned and slid off the bed, holding his hand out. Marinette took it and allowed him to pull her up; they walked towards the door together.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](http://tsuki-chibi.tumblr.com/).


End file.
